Combination implement



Jan. 13, 1948.

, D. J. DANIEL COMBINATION IMPLEMENT Filed Dec. 28, 1945 DJDAy/EL Patented Jan. 13, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINATION IMPLEMENT Daniel J. DanieL'Fort Smith, Ark. Application December 28, 1945, Serial No. 637,587

This invention relates to a combination implement primaril adapted for use by fishermen.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a tool for the expeditious extraction of hooks from the mouths of fish.

Further, an aim is to provide such an implement or tool which can advantageously be embodied in a pair of pivoted levers and in fact in the blades of shears, the levers or blades coacting in the use of the tool as a hook extractor.

Various additional objects and advantages will be pointed out and otherwise become apparent from a consideration of the description following taken in connection with accompanying drawing illustrating an objective embodiment by way of example.

In said drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation illustrating one embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the device of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary elevation on an enlarged scale, illustrating the use of the device in extracting a hook from the mouth of a fish, and

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 4--4 of Figure 1.

Referring specifically to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or similar parts throughout the different views, I provide an element or blade which may be in a single or integral piece and which has a concave outer face at I l Such element or blade is thicker at one edge than at the other and at the thicker or upper edge the same is formed into a plurality or series of scaling serrations or teeth I2, which it will be noted have their longitudinal axes transverse to the general plane of the element or blade and the points or spurs of such teeth, as shown in Figures 2 and 4, extend beyond the concave surface II, which latter is adapted to engage the scales and approximately conform to the shape of the body of the fish.

Adjacent to the teeth l2 and directly below the same, element or blade I!) is slotted as at l3 so that scales removed by the teeth 12 will readily pass or discharge therethrough, the slotting preferably consisting of an elongated slot of sufficient size to avoid danger of clogging of fish scales therein.

The invention embodies a fish hook extractor in the form of an element or blade 14 which may also be in a single or integral piece and which at one end has engaging and extracting means for a fish hook, said means comprising a slot or notch at H in order to bifurcate such end.

2 Claims. (CI. 4329) Notch or slot I5 is adapted to receive the portion of a fish hook I6 adjacent the barb of the hook when the barb is impaled in the mouth of a fish H as fragmentarily illustrated in Figure 3. It will be clear that during this operation, element is is inserted into the mouth of the fish and that a lateral extension thereon is of such size as to prevent undue closing or contraction of the mouth of the fish during the necessary manipulation of the element or blade in the extracting operation.

The invention may be very advantageously combined with or form parts of shears and it will be recognized that the blades 10 and I4 constitute blades of shears which are pivotally connected as at IS. The cutting edges of such blades H] and M, are shown respectively at l9 and 20, and it will be understood as shown that the contacting surfaces of said blades, to facilitate the cutting or shearing action, are preferably fiat, as in Figure 4. Blade [4 at the outer surface 2| is preferably convex as shown in Figure 4 to better deflect or shed fish scales discharging through the slot [3.

Adjacent to the cutting edge 19, blade I0 is optionally roughened or knurled as at 22 for better retaining engagement with the fishing line 23 of the impaled hook it, as in Figure 3.

Optionally, opposed edges of the blades l0 and I A! at handles 24 and 25 thereof, respectively, are suitably shaped and roughened or serrated at 26 and 21, respectively, for clipping engagement with articles, similar to the action of pliers when the blades are moved on the axis of pivot l8.

As is usual in shears, one blade, namely 25, is provided with a, lateral extension in which is formed an opening 28 for engagement by the thumb while the other blade at its handle 24 is provided with a lateral extension having an elongated opening 29 for engagement by fingers of the hand of the operator.

In the operation of the device to scale fish, the thumb of one hand of the operator is engaged in slot 29 and the middle finger of the same hand is engaged in the slot 28, such engagement, it being realized, being the reverse hold as for normal operation of shears or scissors. Thus held, the shears are turned to a position where the surface II is flat on the body of the fish to be scaled. Then by opening the blades II and I4 slightly, blade I4 at its inner surface lies flat on the fish just ahead of the blade H and as the movement of scaling begins, slight pressure on blade [4 causes the undulation of the fish scales, forcing their outer or distal edges upward and approximately at-"a right angle to 'each'other, the

blade H' thus constituting a handle or gripping means for the element or blade [4. During this operation, the line 23, passes between selected"? serrations or scaling points l2 and isipr'sisd bs one finger against the edge 22 of the blade- 1,

and is so held in a taut condition againstslippage" along the blade ID with the curved' 'end of the i hook 16 adjacent the barb positioned within the notch l5 in the handle end of the blade I41 With" the notched end I5 of the element 25 engaged with the hook est-illustrated 'in Figure 3,. it will be observed "that the lateral :'extension on said ele:-': merit is iii-proximity ofthe moisith of th'efish and holds the. mouth in a widel y op'enedpondtiion for thefree' manipulation of the extractor. It is'on'ly necessary to forceithe. 'extra'ctor a 'sli'ght 'additional distance into the mouth eof the'fish an'olfby slight' rotary movement thereof'the: barb of-the" hook is readily 'disenga'ge'd' fronr'the *flesh': of the" fishf without injury thereto and the extractor with the hook is then removed from the fish.. During the entire operation the =fishing line '23 remains ina taut condition; being held by'the: fingerof the user and restrained ironi-moveni'ent 'iong-it1r-'- dinally'of the b'lade I031- Vari-ou's ch'anges'may' be' resorted to provided" they rail within-"the spirit and" scope: of--the1 infventionr'asfdefined by appendedfclaims'n Wha't is claimed is:

1. An implement of'the class-describedshavingr an elongated" element for projection 0f-arf=l1di portion there of into: the mouth. of-z-a fish"; notched" means: on said end-portion for engagement with a hook impaled in said mouth to extract-'the" hook, andan element pivoted to-and adaptdlto 45:Number be disposed at arr "angleto i the: first-mentioned" 4 element to function as a handle in the manipula tion of the implement, the second-mentioned element provided with a flange having serrations of substantial depth along the longitudinal edge nearest said means and disposed for engagement of the fishing line which carries said hook, when the line is clamped against the second-mentioned element by a finger of the fisherman during a hook-extracting-operation,- p

2. mm implement of the class-described havin an elongated element for projection of an end portion thereof into the mouth of a fish, notched means on said end portion for engagement with ailiook 'iiiip'ald in said mouth to extract the hook,

-an element pivoted to and adapted to be disposed wan an'gl'to the first-mentioned element to fllIlCfiOIIISFE; haridle'in the manipulation of the from the no'th'ed means to maintainthe mouth" in op'eh een'ditidn d'urih'ga hook extract-ing -op-' eratifi.

DANIEL J. DANIEL;

The follow-ing references are 'of recordin the srfile of'this 'patent z UNITED STATES PATENTS?"- 

